Hiss

• POS: Interjection, Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Hiss, v. i. [AS. hysian; prob. of imitative origin; cf. LG. hissen, OD. hisschen.].

•  To make with the mouth a prolonged sound like that of the letter s, by driving the breath between the tongue and the teeth; to make with the mouth a sound like that made by a goose or a snake when angered; esp., to make such a sound as an expression of hatred, passion, or disapproval.  [1913 Webster]

  "The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make a similar noise by any means; to pass with a sibilant sound; as, the arrow hissed as it flew.  [1913 Webster]

  "Shod with steel,
  We hissed along the polished ice."  [1913 Webster]

Hiss, v. t. 

•  To condemn or express contempt for by hissing.  [1913 Webster]

  "If the tag-rag people did not clap him and hiss him, according as he pleased and displeased them."  [1913 Webster]

  "Malcolm. What is the newest grief?
  Ros. That of an hour's age doth hiss the speaker."  [1913 Webster]
•  To utter with a hissing sound.  [1913 Webster]

  "The long-necked geese of the world that are ever hissing dispraise."  [1913 Webster]

Hiss, n. 

•  A prolonged sound like that letter s, made by forcing out the breath between the tongue and teeth, esp. as a token of disapprobation or contempt.  [1913 Webster]

  "“Hiss” implies audible friction of breath consonants."  [1913 Webster]

  "A dismal, universal hiss, the sound
  Of public scorn."  [1913 Webster]
•  Any sound resembling that above described  [1913 Webster]

  "But hiss for hiss returned with forked tongue."

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Hiss, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. (of a person, snake, goose, etc.) make a sharp sibilant sound, esp. as a sign of disapproval or derision (audience booed and hissed; the water hissed on the hotplate).
2 tr. express disapproval of (a person etc.) by hisses.
3 tr. whisper (a threat etc.) urgently or angrily ('Where's the door?' he hissed).
--n.
1 a sharp sibilant sound as of the letter s.
2 Electronics unwanted interference at audio frequencies.

Idiom

hiss away (or down) drive off etc. by hisses. hiss off hiss (actors etc.) so that they leave the stage.

Etymology

ME: imit.

THESAURUS

Hiss

Bronx cheer, aphonia, artificial voice, assibilate, assibilation, bark, bawl, bellow, bird, blare, blat, blubber, boil, boil over, boo, booing, boom, bray, breathe, broken speech, broken tones, broken voice, bubble, bubble over, bubble up, burble, buzz, cackle, catcall, chant, childish treble, chirp, choked voice, coo, cracked voice, croak, crow, decry, deride, disparage, drawl, dysarthria, dyslalia, dyslogia, dysphasia, dysphonia, dysphrasia, effervesce, effervescence, effervescing, exclaim, falsetto, ferment, fizz, fizzle, fizzling, flute, frication, frictional rustling, gasp, give the bird, give the raspberry, gnarl, growl, grumble, grunt, guggle, gurgle, harshness, hawking voice, hissing, hoarseness, hoot, hush, hushing, idioglossia, idiolalia, impairment of speech, jeer, keen, lilt, lisp, lisping, loss of voice, mock, mumble, murmur, mutter, muzzy speech, nasal tone, nasalization, pant, pipe, plop, pooh, pooh-pooh, quaver, raspberry, razz, rhonchus, roar, rumble, scream, screech, seethe, shake, shriek, shush, shushing, sibilance, sibilate, sibilation, siffle, sigh, sigmatism, simmer, sing, siss, sissing, sizz, sizzle, sizzling, snap, snarl, sneeze, sneezing, sniff, sniffle, snore, snort, snuff, snuffle, sob, sparkle, speech defect, speech impediment, spit, splutter, sputter, squall, squash, squawk, squeal, squelch, squish, sternutation, stertor, swish, taunt, the bird, thunder, tremor, trumpet, twang, wail, warble, wheeze, whine, whish, whisper, whistle, whistle at, whistling, white noise, whiz, whoosh, work, yap, yawp, yell, yelp, zip

ROGET THESAURUS

Hiss

Disrespect

N disrespect, disesteem, disestimation, disparagement irreverence, slight, neglect, spretae injuria formae, superciliousness, vilipendency, vilification, contumely, affront, dishonor, insult, indignity, outrage, discourtesy, practical joking, scurrility, scoffing, sibilance, hissing, sibilation, irrision, derision, mockery, irony, sarcasm, hiss, hoot, boo, gibe, flout, jeer, scoff, gleek, taunt, sneer, quip, fling, wipe, slap in the face, disrespectful, aweless, irreverent, disparaging, insulting, supercilious, contemptuous, patronizing, rude, derisive, sarcastic, scurrile, scurrilous, contumelious, unrespected, unworshiped, unenvied, unsaluted, unregarded, disregarded, disrespectfully.

VB hold in disrespect, misprize, disregard, slight, trifle with, set at naught, pass by, push aside, overlook, turn one's back upon, laugh in one's sleeve, be disrespectful, be discourteous, treat with disrespect, set down, put down, browbeat, dishonor, desecrate, insult, affront, outrage, speak slightingly of, disparage, vilipend, vilify, call names, throw dirt, fling dirt, drag through the mud, point at, indulge in personalities, make mouths, make faces, bite the thumb, take by the beard, pluck by the beard, toss in a blanket, tar and feather, have in derision, hold in derision, deride, scoff, barrack, sneer, laugh at, snigger, ridicule, gibe, mock, jeer, hiss, hoot, taunt, twit, niggle, gleek, gird, flout, fleer, roast, turn into ridicule, burlesque, laugh to scorn, smoke, fool, make game of, make a fool of, make an April fool of, play a practical joke, lead one a dance, run the rig upon, have a fling at, scout, mob.

Contempt

VB despise, contemn, scorn, disdain, feel contempt for, view with a scornful eye, disregard, slight, not mind, pass by, look down upon, hold cheap, hold in contempt, hold in disrespect, think nothing of, think small beer of, make light of, underestimate, esteem slightly, esteem of small or no account, take no account of, care nothing for, set no store by, not care a straw, sneeze at, set at naught, laugh in one's sleeve, laugh up one's sleeve, snap one's fingers at, shrug one's shoulders, turn up one's nose at, pooh-pooh, damn with faint praise, whistle at, sneer at, curl up one's lip, toss the head, traiter de haut enbas, laugh at, point the finger of scorn, hold up to scorn, laugh to scorn, scout, hoot, flout, hiss, scoff at, turn one's back upon, turn a cold shoulder upon, tread upon, trample upon, trample under foot, spurn, kick, fling to the winds, send away with a flea in the ear.

Disapprobation

N disapprobation, disapproval, improbation, disesteem, disvaluation, displacency, odium, dislike, dispraise, discommendation, blame, censure, obloquy, detraction, disparagement, depreciation, denunciation, condemnation, ostracism, black list, animadversion, reflection, stricture, objection, exception, criticism, sardonic grin, sardonic laugh, sarcasm, insinuation, innuendo, bad compliment, poor compliment, left-handed compliment, satire, sneer, taunt, cavil, carping, censoriousness, hypercriticism, reprehension, remonstrance, expostulation, reproof, reprobation, admonition, increpation, reproach, rebuke, reprimand, castigation, jobation, lecture, curtain lecture, blow up, wigging, dressing, rating, scolding, trimming, correction, set down, rap on the knuckles, coup de bec, rebuff, slap, slap on the face, home thrust, hit, frown, scowl, black look, diatribe, jeremiad, jeremiade, tirade, philippic, clamor, outcry, hue and cry, hiss, hissing, sibilance, sibilation, catcall, execration, chiding, upbraiding, exprobation, abuse, vituperation, invective, objurgation, contumely, hard words, cutting words, bitter words, evil-speaking, bad language, personality, disapproving, scandalized, disparaging, condemnatory, damnatory, denunciatory, reproachful, abusive, objurgatory, clamorous, vituperative, defamatory, satirical, sarcastic, sardonic, cynical, dry, sharp, cutting, biting, severe, withering, trenchant, hard upon, censorious, critical, captious, carping, hypercritical, fastidious, sparing of praise, grudging praise, disapproved, chid, in bad odor, blown upon, unapproved, unblest, at a discount, exploded, weighed in the balance and found wanting, blameworthy, reprehensible, to blame, worthy of blame, answerable, uncommendable, exceptionable, not to be thought of, bad, vicious, unlamented, unbewailed, unpitied, with a wry face, reproachfully, Int, it is too bad!, it won't do, it will never do!, marry come up!, Oh!, come!, 'sdeath!, forbid it Heaven!, God forbid, Heaven forbid!, out upon, fie upon it!, away with!, tut!, O tempora!, O mores!, shame!, fie, fie for shame!, out on you!, tell it not in Gath!.

VB disapprove, dislike, lament, object to, take exception to, be scandalized at, think ill of, view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes, nil admirari, disvalue, improbate, frown upon, look grave, bend the brows, knit the brows, shake the head at, shrug the shoulders, turn up the nose, look askance, look black upon, look with an evil eye, make a wry face, make a wry mouth at, set one's face against, dispraise, discommend, disparage, deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of, condemn, blame, lay blame upon, cast blame upon, censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn, remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate, reprehend, chide, admonish, berate, betongue, bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order, take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book, read a lesson, read a lecture to, rebuke, correct, reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete, overhaul, give it one, give it one finely, gibbet, accuse, impeach, denounce, hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration, expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize, show up, pull up, take up, cry 'shame' upon, be outspoken, raise a hue and cry against, execrate, exprobate, speak daggers, vituperate, abuse, abuse like a pickpocket, scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of, jaw, rail, rail at, rail in good set terms, bark at, anathematize, call names, call by hard names, call by ugly names, avile, revile, vilify, vilipend, bespatter, backbite, clapperclaw, rave against, thunder against, fulminate against, load with reproaches, exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against, decry, cry down, run down, frown down, clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist, draw up a round robin, sign a round robin, animadvert upon, reflect upon, glance at, cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon, insinuate, damn with faint praise, hint a fault and hesitate dislike, not to be able to say much for, scoff at, point at, twit, taunt, sneer at, satirize, lampoon, defame, depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, take exception, cavil, peck at, nibble at, carp at, be censorious, pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat, make a fuss about, take down, take down a peg, set down, snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles, throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden, have a fling, have a snap at, have words with, pluck a crow with, give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue, incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt, get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears, take blame, stand corrected, have to answer for.

Sibilation

N sibilance, sibilation, zip, hiss, sternutation, high note, goose, serpent, snake (animal sounds), insect, bug, bee, mosquito, wasp, fly, tea kettle, pressure cooker, air valve, pressure release valve, safety valve, tires, air escaping from tires, punctured tire, escaping steam, steam, steam radiator, steam release valve, sibilant, hissing, wheezy, sternutative.

VB hiss, buzz, whiz, rustle, fizz, fizzle, wheeze, whistle, snuffle, squash, sneeze, sizzle, swish.

Ululation

VB cry, roar, bellow, blare, rebellow, growl, snarl, bark, bow-wow, yelp, bay, bay at the moon, yap, yip, yipe, growl, yarr, yawl, snarl, howl, grunt, gruntle, snort, squeak neigh, whinny, bray, mew, mewl, meow, purr, caterwaul, pule, baa, bleat, low, moo, troat, croak, peep, coo, gobble, quack, honk, gaggle, guggle, crow, caw, squawk, screech cackle, cluck, clack, chuck, chuckle, hoot, hoo, chirp, cheep, chirrup, twitter, cuckoo, warble, trill, tweet, pipe, whistle, hum, buzz, hiss, blatter, ratatat.